The Catcher in the Rye Questions and Answers

Lying, according to Holden, means being "phony". Holden frequently laments about how he cannot stand people who act like somebody they are not. Apparently everybody does this besides his sister Phoebe and himself,

We kdon't know Holden's exact location, but we do know that he is in some kind of mental institution receiving treatment. Holden is sixteen years old, and the events he addresses happened about one year prior.